The present invention relates, in general, to gloves and, more particularly, this invention relates to a disposable type glove, mitten, or wipe having an inner portion impervious to fluids passing therethrough and an outer absorbent portion for use in cleaning in a variety of situations which includes, but is not limited thereto, unsanitary and biologically hazardous areas.
A number of differing types of gloves and wipes have long been known and used for a variety of purposes. Although this invention is not limited thereto one well known area where such items are in widespread use is in the medical field. For example, these items are used extensively in hospital rooms, surgical operating rooms, doctors"" offices, nursing homes, nurseries and the like for general clean-up of blood, human waste, body fluids and the like and for bathing infants and elderly persons.
These items are also used to clean-up body fluids, such as blood and fluids of decomposition, at death sites and crime scenes. These scenes can and oftentimes do pose a considerable biological hazard that must be cleaned-up as soon as possible after a death occurs to avoid bio-contamination of surrounding facilities. Either of these tasks can be a most unpleasant effort, not to mention the fact that after clean-up, clothing and in particular the gloves worn, during such clean-up, must be removed and safely discarded without contamination of the wearer, the wearer""s hands and surrounding cleaned surfaces.
Since the outer surfaces of such gloves usually become extremely soiled and/or contaminated they must be safely disposed of after the clean-up task. As is generally well known by persons required to use them, these gloves are rather difficult to remove without further contaminating the wearer""s hands, arms and/or adjacent area just cleaned. While a first such glove may be relatively easy to remove and thereby expose one clean hand, that clean hand must then be used to remove the other soiled/contaminated glove without soiling or contaminating the clean hand. As mentioned, this task has oftentimes been shown to be rather difficult.
The present invention provides an improved glove specifically designed to prevent contamination of the user when such glove is being used to clean a predetermined surface area. The glove includes an flexible portion designed to fit over a wearer""s hand. Additionally such flexible portion has an inner surface adjacent such wearer""s hand and an outer surface. Such flexible portion being impervious to passage of predetermined fluids therethrough. The final essential element of the glove is a predetermined absorbent soft material portion covering at least predetermined portions of an outer surface of such flexible portion.
Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, for use in cleaning a variety of objects.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which is disposable.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which can be used to clean sanitary type spills, unsanitary and/or biologically hazardous surfaces without having contact with a wearers hand.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, in which at least a portion thereof which comes in contact with the wearers hand is manufactured of a stretchable material and at least a portion of the stretchable material is covered with an absorbent material.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which is suitable for the cleansing of the tender skin of both infants and elderly persons.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which is designed to permit quick and easy removal thereof without soiling or contaminating the user""s hands or surrounding area.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which may include a stretchable sleeve portion that can be stretched inside-out over a soiled/contaminated hand portion for quick and sanitary removal and disposal of the soiled/contaminated glove/mitten.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a new and improved glove, mitten and wipe, or the like, which will maximize the use of a user""s hand movements during use.
In addition to the several objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described above, it should be understood that various other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following more detailed description, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and with the appended claims.